Watchcase.



No. 712,285. Patented Oct. 28. I902.

W. H. FITZ GERALD.

WATCHCASE.

(Application filed Oct. 8 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shoat l.

Wi wam: awwnkm WM? @ww No. 712,285. Patented Oct. 28, I902.

W. H. FITZ GERALD.

WATCHCASE.

(Appliution filed Oct. 8. 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets$heet 2 mm): i Immm m//M w: wan Pcrns c0, mom-urns" msumemn o c UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WALTER II. FITZ GERALD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TORUBE R. FOGEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WATCHCAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,285, dated October28, 1902.

Application filed October 8, 1901.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known thatLWALTERH. FITZ GERALD, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, Brooklyn borough, in the county of Kings andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in\Vatchcases, which improvements are fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a face View of a watchcase embodying my said improvements,the front cap thereof being shown in its open position. Fig. 2 is a viewof said watchcase similar to Fig. 1, the movement-ring thereof beingshown as having undergone a substantial portion of its reversingmovement and a fragment of the near inturned flange of the case-centerbeing broken away to better disclose the movement-ring terminal of thecombinationspring which I make use of. Fig. 3 is a central section takenlongitudinally through the pendant of the case, as on the line a a ofFig. 1, a portion of the movement-ring being broken away to disclose theretaining-prong of the combination-spring of my improved watchcase. Fig.4 is a fragmentary view of the case-center of the case looking at the inner end of the pendant employed in connection therewith. Fig. 5 is aview in perspective illustrating the combinatiou-sprin g of my improvedwatchcase. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the spring actuatingmember which I employ between the winding-stem and combination-spring ofmy said improved watchcase.

Similar reference numerals denote like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

In a general sense this invention relates to improvements in mechanicalstructures of that class employed for inclosing the movements of watchesand commonly known as watchcases, and it relates more particularly tothat type of cases for the purpose named as are commercially known asmagic watchcases, the same being so named from the fact that each is ofsuch construction as to be readily convertible from the so-calledhunting type of case to the so-called openface case, or vice versa.

The object of this invention is to provide a Serial No. 77,958. (Nomodel.)

watchcase which shall embody an integrant elastic member so formed anddisposed as to cooperate with the respective movable parts of said case,novel features of construction whereby the practicability of theemployment of a depressible elastic member between the reversiblemovement-ring and the windingstem of such case is materially enhanced,which shall be so constructed as to insure 6o ready access, whendesired, to said elastic element and other cooperating parts, as in repairing operations, which shall minimize the cost of that operationcommonly known as springing a watchcase, which shall be durable,positive, and reliable in practicable service, and which shall possesscertain welldefined advantages over prior analogous structures.

The invention consists in the employment of certain parts novel as toform, in the novel disposition and arrangement of the various partsthereof, in certain combinations of the latter, and in certain detailsof construction, all of which will be specifically referred tohereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings, 2 denotes thecase-center; 3, the front cap hinged to the case-center, as at 4; 8o 5,the pendant, and 6 the reversible movement-ring of the watch-case. Thecase-center is provided with inturned opposing flanges 6 6", forming aninterior recess, within which is located the combination-spring 7, whichlatter approximately midway the length thereof is provided with anoutwardly-projecting or lateral hook-like head 8, the flange 6 be ingcut away at the point of junction of the pendant 5 with the case-center2 to provide clearance for the head 8. The spring 7 is extended in onedirection beyond its head 8 to form a locking-terminal 9 audis extendedin the opposite direction beyond its head to form a lifting-terminal 10,the latter nor- 5 mally engaging and tending to yieldingly urge theclosure member 3 to its open position, as in common practice. Undernormal conditions the terminal 9 of the spring 7 curves inwardly fromthe case-center 2, so as we to duly engage the movement-ring 6 forlocking purposes, and I prefer that the same be provided with a teat, as2, adapted to take into a recess, as 2", formed in the peripheral faceof the movement-ring 6, and thereby yieldingly lock the latter againstmovement in either direction, except under pressure properly appliedthereto at its circumference. As the movement-ring 6 approaches theposition shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings it engages the teat 2 andcauses the terminal 9 to recede from its normal position in thedirection of the case-center 2 against its own elasticity, the saidterminal there remaining until said ring reaches the position shown inFig. 1, whereupon the recess 2" is brought into registry with the teat2, thus permitting a slight return movement of the terminal 9 in thedirection of the movement-ring 6, which return movement on the part ofthe terminal 9 results in the seating of the teat 2' in the recess2",thereby yieldingly locking the movement-ring 6 against movement ineither direction, as above stated.

The combination-spring 7 is provided with one or more lateralretaining-prongs 3, adapted to have a locking engagement with one of theopposing flanges, as 6, of the case-center 2 for the. purpose ofpreventing undue displacement of said spring from said casecenter aswhen the movement-ring 6 shall have been removed therefrom. The prong 3is formed by obliquely slitting the spring 7, as clearly illustrated inthe drawings, and its free end normally projects beyond the edge of saidspring, so that the same may have a frictional contact with the adjacentcase-center flange, as 6, or the free end of said spring may be providedwith a spur, as 3", adapted to enter a recess, as 2", formed in saidcasecenter flange and registering with said spur. When it is desired toremove the spring 7 from the case-center, as in the operation ofeffecting repairs, the spur 3 is dislodged from the recess 2", or thefree end of said prong in the absence of the spur 3" is thrown out offrictional contact with its cooperating casecenter flange byinsertingbetween said flange and the prong 3 a suitable tool and properlymanipulating the latter to depress said prong against its ownelasticity.

The spring 7, through the medium of the head 8, serves to exert alocking force on the cap 3 when the latter occupies its closed position,as in common practice, and when the movemen t-ring 6 occupies theposition shown in Fig. 1 and the cap 3 is thus locked in its closedposition it will be observed that the spring 7, in conjunction with itsterminals 9 and 10, performs simultaneously the following threefunctions: that of locking the cap 3 in its closed position, that ofyieldingly locking the movement-ring 6 in its normal position ofregistrywith the case-center 2, and that oftending to thrust the cap 3to its own position. It will further be observed on reference to Fig. 3of the drawings that the spring 7 is located between the movementring 6and the case-center 2, with clearance for depression of said spring fromthe position it occupies in Fig. 3 of the drawings inwardly toward themovement-ring for annulling the locking engagement of the head 8 withthe cap 3, as in common practice, and an essential feature of myinvention comprises the utilization of parts so formed and relativelydisposed as to insure marked advantages in connection with theapplication of actuating-pressure to the spring 7 and the mounting ofthe reversible movement-ring 6 within the case-center 2. In thisconnection I employ a winding-stem 4, having a stop, as 4", here shownas an integrant portion of the stem 4 and of greater diameter than theremaining portion of said stem, particularly the free end portionthereof, the opposite or outer end of said stem being secured to the cap5, which takes over and incloses the outer end of the pendant 5, all asin common practice.

5" is a spring-actuating member,here shown as in the form of a sleeveand as interposed between the stop 4 and the spring 7, withthe free endportion of the stem 4 extending loosely and longitudinally through it,said spring actuating member, longitudinally through the hollow trunnionor arbor 7, and terminating at a point beyond said trunnion for windingpurposes, as will be readily understood. The trunnion 7 projects fromthe movement-ring 6 outwardly through and beyond the spring 7 by way ofa suitable opening, as 7, formed in said spring, and enters androtatively bears within the spring-actuating member 5. This constructionpermits depression of the spring 7 through the medium of the stem 4 andmember 5" without affecting the movement-ring 6 or the part or partsemployed in the mounting of the latter. The ring 6 has a center ofmovement diametrically opposite the trunnion 7 as on the pivot 8,projecting inwardly from the casecenter 2. While in the accompanyingdrawings I have shown the pivot Sas fixed and the trunnion 7 asremovably carried by the ring 6, reversal of these details ofconstruction is permissible, it being only necessary that either thetrunnion 7 or the pivot 8 be removable to permit the adjustment of themovement-ringwithin, or the removal of such ring from, the case-center2.

The trunnion 7 may be seated, as under force, in a suitableopeningformedin the side wall of the movement-ring 6, may have athreaded engagement with said ring at the opening therein, or may beotherwise removably disposed with respect thereto.

The spring-actuating member 5 may be of any suitable exterior orcross-sectional contour, though I have shown the same as tubular incross-section and provided at its inner end with opposing lateral lugs8" 9, to respectively receive which, when the member 5 is in positionfor service, suitable alining recesses 9 10 may be provided, as bytransversely slitting a raised portion 10, with which the case-center 2may be provided at the inner side thereof and as indicated in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings.

It willbe observed that myimprovedwatchcase is particularly well adaptedfor the purposes for which it is intended and that the same may bemodified to some extent without material departure from the spirit andprinciple of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a reversible watch, a case-center; a cap hinged thereto; amovement-ring pivoted in the case-center; and a spring in thecasecenter, the said spring having a projection at one end for operatingthe cap, a projection at the other end for locking the movement-ringend, and against said spring at the opposite 30 end thereof,substantially as herein specified.

WVALTER H. FITZ GERALD.

WVitnesses P. BOLEMAN, DINAH STANDER.

